Entertainment is a basic need and has become an integral part of life. Due to content consumption on various platforms in multiple formats, the demand for quality entertainment is always on the rise. Be it movies, web series, TV shows, news, sports, music, and lifestyle, any form of video content is widely accepted and appreciated by users across the globe. While films always take center stage, others get equal acclaim from the audience. The significant reason for this increase is that content captures people’s attention and relieves stress. That’s primarily the first cause for the existence of several OTT platforms and linear TV channels. Also, with advanced technology like Cloud Playout, it is easy to launch linear channels to reach a wider audience, start OTT streaming services, and live stream major events. In this article, let us investigate cloud playout integration in all of these.
OTT (Over-the-Top) Platform
Over-the-Top platforms, also called Video-on-demand (VOD) services stream content over the internet. Unlike traditional systems, OTT doesn’t need a cable operator or a satellite connection. The content available on OTT platforms includes movies, television shows, documentaries, news, and sports. These services allow users to watch their favorite content anytime, anywhere, and on any device.
Due to OTTs, content consumption has witnessed a rapid growth of late, and the growing demand for content shows varied user viewing patterns. This demand will take a giant leap in the next few years. OTT platforms, TV channels, and live streaming services are determined to bring engaging and exciting content tailor-made to meet the diverse needs of viewers.
OTTs in India are pushing the entertainment boundaries by providing a wide variety of content across languages, genres, and generations. The media streaming services have disrupted the entertainment industry and evolved as game changers by letting the audience choose whatever they want.
It was the lockdown that forced all viewers to check and appreciate all kinds of content, like world cinema and popular shows in all languages, it has drastically transformed the viewing habits of people, especially Gen Y and Z. VOD platforms curate content based on user preferences and build an instant relationship with the users.
India’s mobile usage is at an all-time high. Since mobile phones are the most widely used streaming devices, this is another prominent reason for an exponential rise in content consumption. Besides internet penetration, the availability of smartphones and accessibility to other internet-enabled devices in semi-urban and rural areas affect India’s content-consuming patterns.
Another prominent reason for the OTT rise is that it made movie-watching easy, affordable, and convenient. With a moderate subscription, users can access a massive content library and watch with family. The possibility to access international movies, popular web series, most-watched shows, and live sports on the go is one of the top advantages of OTT.
Regional content has gained massive popularity, and OTT platforms leave no stone unturned to bring raw and real regional stories. All top players who witnessed considerable growth in subscriptions come from Tier 2 and Tier 3 places. However, the rural Indian audiences’ inclination toward consuming online media has taken a gigantic leap recently. Viewers are willing to watch interesting content from Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati, Bengali, and other languages.
Cloud playout technology helps streaming media services to deliver OTT content effortlessly and efficiently. Through cloud playout, OTT platforms manage their content delivery by storing, organizing, scheduling, publishing, and delivering content on various devices and platforms. In addition to streaming, it also gives detailed data explaining user behavior and viewing patterns.
This data helps streaming services to adapt, analyze, and curate more relatable content. Understanding user interaction with content lets OTTs bring riveting and relatable content. Cloud playout solutions and services allows content creators and broadcasters to reach a wider audience and enhance their business by launching their own OTT platforms, creating linear TV channels, and easing live events streaming.
Linear TV
Besides OTT, people spend much time watching content on linear TV channels. Cloud channel Playout allows broadcasters to start their linear channels quickly and efficiently, all at an affordable price.
A traditional broadcast needs expensive and extensive hardware machinery to distribute content. Since Cloud playout channel transmits content over the internet, it reduces the need to invest in expensive hardware. It also provides the necessary features and functionality to broadcast content across the globe. It gives scalability to broadcasters and makes adjustments based on their needs.
Since content gets stored on the internet, it is safe and secure. Also, it gives the flexibility to access and manage content delivery from anywhere in the world. Since broadcasters pay for only what they use, it is budget friendly too. It provides seamless control for many live channels and customized content.
Cloud automation helps broadcasters to earn revenue through ads besides gathering a huge subscriber base. These free ad-supported television channels, also called FAST channels, allow users to watch free content without paying any subscription. Also, the cloud-based software delivery model lets users subscribe to SaaS (software-as-a-service) applications rather than purchase software.
Cloud-based playout automatically identifies Ads in the Live feed and replaces them with preferred Ads to monetize content. Server-Side-Ad-insertion (SSAI) dynamic Ads insertion into the live stream for more personalized advertising. It replaces SCTE slots with programmatic or spot-based ads and delivers more customized Ads specific to the viewer’s demography and location. It eliminates the dependencies on devices and players to support Ads to ensure zero latency between Ads and content.
Features of Cloud Playout
- Launches linear channels in just a few hours.
- Customized according to the unique needs of the broadcaster.
- Highly secure
- A simple to use interface.
- Manage and monitor in real-time.
- Flexible and scalable, customized based on needs.
- Content is stored on the internet, allowing broadcasters to access it from any part of the globe.
- Allows broadcasters to monetize their content.
- Affordable and only pay for what you use.
- No need to invest in high-cost hardware.
- Time-saving – enhances workflow and saves time to get content on air.
- Robust – handles workloads efficiently.
- Order and reorder the program schedule.
- Switch flexibly between VOD assets and scheduled live feeds.
- React in real-time to last-minute schedule changes made easy, quick, and reliable.
- Monetize content with server-side ad insertion (SSAI).
If anyone is planning to start an OTT platform or a linear channel, check out cloud playout solutions like Viewlift, YVS, Janya, and many more.
Live Streaming
A live stream is a familiar term that means creating and sharing video over the internet in real-time instead of copying and storing it elsewhere. Powerful and personal. It is often described as streaming video right there at the moment from an event happening in real-time, like watching a live football match or a news program, irrespective of the platform and devices. Live Streaming is quite popular on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook Live, and Twitter which allows anyone to live stream anything. Live streaming gives an exciting feeling to viewers watching online an event while happening all across the world.
Earlier, live streaming was limited to only a few certain media houses that had the hardware and technology to broadcast live events to their consumers. But today, due to technological advancements and internet penetration, anyone can live stream anything on their devices on desired platforms. From students to celebrities and politicians, everyone gets access to live-streaming technology from their homes to create useful content and stay connected with their fans without the need for an expensive TV studio. While some live streams like Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Zoom are completely private and allow only those with an invitation, some applications are open, and some let streamers limit who should watch. This protects pivotal information and personal details.
Video editor creates highlights, video compilations, and viral social media clips on the go. Editing input video content is less complicated and quick.
Cloud-based video editing platform allows you to edit it from anywhere in the world and efficiently collaborate with your team.
Cloud Playout technology eases the process of creating live events and live streaming. It offers tools that are helpful to improve the reach and business.
Create Multi-stage events
Easy to set up multi-stage live events and broadcast video from different venues using professional cameras
Virtual events
Hosting virtual events has never been this easy and fast. Cloud based playout is capable of allowing close to 6 guests from any part of the world to join in a single broadcast. The broadcaster will have total control over the audio and video input. easy with Janya’s remote guest invite feature.
Live Recording
It allows you to record live events, cut video clips, and edit simultaneously. These video clips can be used to post on other platforms.
Multiple Platforms
Broadcast live events on multiple platforms and configure as many as possible to achieve maximum viewer engagement. Distribute live events on social media platforms, OTT platforms, and TV.
Video Streaming
Two types of video streaming include live linear video streaming and Video-On-Demand streaming. The fundamental difference between the two is that live linear video streaming is the conventional way that brings programs at scheduled times. VOD content is added to the library and watched whenever or wherever the subscriber wants to watch. VOD is popular today and has brought revolutionary changes in video content delivery. Earlier, VOD workflows often relied on traditional broadcast, but cloud playout solutions made it easier and more accessible.
Create a cloud news platform and efficiently manage your media content like video clips, subtitles, text, images, and graphics templates. Also, ingest with live feed recording and repurpose your live content for repeats.
Cloud Playout newsroom provides a highly optimized workflow to manage your entire video production without any hassle. It also has an In-built teleprompter that creates, uploads, and publishes it to display. You can edit the teleprompter script in real time to accommodate last-minute changes or append it with breaking news.
Configure multiple camera inputs into the cloud news platform and send an invite to guests to join the live from any corner of the globe. Switch between multiple feeds instantly and check all the changes before publishing it on-air. Broadcasters can choose advanced multilayered graphics templates and customize them depending on their need. They can even add custom graphics to each input feed whenever they want.
However, Cloud based Playout has some challenges associated with it. The major concern is the possibility of internet outages or disruptions since it relies on the internet connection in content delivery. The service disruption will affect the quality of the broadcast. Along with it, broadcasters must consider the security implications of using a cloud-based service to share content. While these are minimal, it has larger advantages in streaming and broadcasting content. It has become increasingly popular for its scalability, flexibility, and user-friendly interface.
As there is exponential growth and increasing demand for an overall shift to streaming services and on-demand content, cloud playout technology delivers a more adaptable and cost-effective way to offer broadcast content. With its ability to scale up or down based on demand and the flexibility to access content from anywhere in the world, cloud playout is and remains popular. For all its benefits over a traditional broadcast, it is only expected to grow even more popular in the future.
